Of course not a mess in the sense that it is sloppy: Georgia Lahusen is the creative spark who is in charge of participation packs for the show.
With the Cape Town-based show moving to Montecasino’s Pieter Toerien Theatre for its limited Johannesburg run, publicity manager for the theatre, Mark Sage, whispered that Lahusen is the enemy of the cleaning crew, since she single-handedly ensures that streamers and confetti are strewn all over after every performance.
But her mess is the reason the show is, well, a success.
Seldom does the audience get to be part of a show, and Lahusen has made sure that everyone is sucked into the fun, even outshining those glittering under the stage lights when they gleefully blow party horns, flick cards and shower each other with confetti – just like it would have been at midnight screenings of the film version of the show.
Lahusen worked with The Fugard Theatre before, as the person in charge of official merchandise.
When she was tasked with doing merchandise for the Rocky Horror Show, its cult following had to be taken into account, and participation packs for audiences was on top of the list to ensure the warped world on-stage hits home.
“Execution of the packs were my baby – I had to order everything and have it ready,” she said.
According to Lahusen, over 5 000 participation packs are stored in her office.
“It makes sense to me to have everything at hand. When we moved the show to Johannesburg, we brought some stuff from Cape Town, and had to re-order some things here,” she added, explaining what appears to be a bad case of hoarding.
The first three days at Montecasino saw her, along with helpers, pre-pack 1800 packs for rowdy audiences.
Now, her hard work is paying off as willing crowds flock to the theatre to take part in the holy grail of cult fandom.
PACKS A PUNCH
But what is in the participation packs you might ask?
Well, it is more of a surprise really – but Lahusen made it clear that no outside props are allowed into the theatre.
“We often have to confiscate items, such as water guns. We cannot allow them in this participation, as the people on stage might slip.”
But for those ready to be Transylvanian for the show, she offers good advice. “A lot of the items in the pack are used before the intermission, so buy them before the show.”
A run-down of the participation pack includes:
- Confetti to be thrown during the wedding scene that starts the show
- A newspaper to hold over your head when Brad and Janet’s car breaks down
- A glow stick to wave in the air during the first chorus of There’s a Light (Over at the Frankenstein place)
- Party blowers to blow when Frank-n-Furter finishes his creation speech.
- Rubber gloves to snap along with Frank-n-furter during the scene featuring Rocky’s birth
- Streamers to throw at Frank and Rocky when they walk up the aisle
- Cards to flick during the floorshow when Frank-n-Furter sings I’m going home.
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